Pakistan army violates ceasefire again, kills two Indian soldiers along LoC in Poonch

JAMMU: In a development that could come in the way of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's plans to normalise relations with Pakistan, a group of Pakistan Army soldiers raided across the Line of Control in Mendhar Sector and killed two Indian soldiers.

Army said Pakistani troops attacked an area domination patrol party and in the ensuing gunfight, two Indian soldiers were killed and the body of one of them was mutilated by the intruders.

"A group of their regular soldiers intruded across the Line of Control in the Mendhar Sect on January 8, 2013. Pakistan Army troops, having taken advantage of thick fog and mist in the forested area, were moving towards own posts when an alert area domination patrol spotted and engaged the intruders. The fire fight between Pakistan and own troops continued for approximately half an hour after which the intruders retreated back towards their side of Line of Control," a statement from the Army said.

"This is yet another grave provocation by Pakistan Army which is being taken up sternly through official channels," the statement added. In the statement, the Army also noted that there has been a significant escalation to the "continuing series of ceasefire violations and infiltration attempts supported by Pakistan Army". Defence sources said soldiers on routine patrolling detected some "suspicious movement" and challenged them to surrender. They were fired upon in which two soldiers were killed. Though the firing was retaliated, the apparent intruders fled, sources said.

On Monday, during a similar patrol, a soldier Sepoy Harvir Singh hit a landmine and was seriously injured. Pakistani soldiers reacted to the blast on this side of the LoC by resorting to indiscriminate firing in Poonch's Krishna Ghati sector, which has remained active since mid-summer 2012. The Mendhar incident took place within two days after the rival armies clashed with each other in Haji Pir (Uri) sector.

Pakistan claimed that the Indian Army crossed the line and attacked its post in which one soldier was killed and another injured. At least two civilians were injured in the Pakistani shelling in Charunda